TRANSFORMERS!

[Blue Wisp]

I already know that I'm not gonna force myself to sit through Bayformers 4: Age of Explosions. So instead, I want to guess about how the film plays out without looking at the entire plot synposis or seeing any reviews. But I will still keep it in spoiler tags, so here goes nothing:

 

The film starts with Optimus Prime doing a narration YET AGAIN, title screen pops up, humans discover ancient plot device, we get a opening action sequence with EXPLOSIONS, we meet our human characters that take up 85% of the film instead of the Autobots and Decepticons, constant breast and ass shots of women wearing tight outfits, an hour and a half loaded with unfunny, misogynist, racist, immature and dudebro humor, annoying as fuck characters taking the spotlight instead of Optimus Prime, the Decepticons try to get their hands on plot mcguffin, the human characters that we don't care about or like get into all the action, the Autobots reunite at the end and have a gigantic clusterfuck fight in a city against the Depepticons, annoying as fuck characters say stupid more shit, MOAR EXPLOSIONS and SLOW-MO, and Optimus Prime ends the movie with another speech about protecting humanity, THE END.

 

So, do I get a cookie?

... Nope.

This isn't the first trilogy. Transformers get more protagonism now.

[Johnny Boy]

I already know that I'm not gonna force myself to sit through Bayformers 4: Age of Explosions. So instead, I want to guess about how the film plays out without looking at the entire plot synposis or seeing any reviews. But I will still keep it in spoiler tags, so here goes nothing:

The film starts with Optimus Prime doing a narration YET AGAIN, title screen pops up, humans discover ancient plot device, we get a opening action sequence with EXPLOSIONS, we meet our human characters that take up 85% of the film instead of the Autobots and Decepticons, constant breast and ass shots of women wearing tight outfits, an hour and a half loaded with unfunny, misogynist, racist, immature and dudebro humor, annoying as fuck characters taking the spotlight instead of Optimus Prime, the Decepticons try to get their hands on plot mcguffin, the human characters that we don't care about or like get into all the action, the Autobots reunite at the end and have a gigantic clusterfuck fight in a city against the Depepticons, annoying as fuck characters say stupid more shit, MOAR EXPLOSIONS and SLOW-MO, and Optimus Prime ends the movie with another speech about protecting humanity, THE END.

So, do I get a cookie?

Lol, nope. The movie doesn't open up with an Optimus Prime narration. The autobots are the main focus this time, the toilet humor that plagued the first three films is dumbed down significantly, oh and did I mention that the autobots are being hunted by the government and being murdered in cold blood after the end of transformers 3, thus causing Prime and the other autobots to

hate humanity and want to leave earth already? Not only that but the movie ends with Optimus blasting the human running the shady government organization into oblivion, killing Lockdown and flying off into Space

So yeah, no cookie for you!

[Mania Pipe]

So, looks like my so-called "prediction" on this film was wrong, oh well. *Shrugs* I guess that means Michael Bay is actually learning something from the last three films.

[Blue Wisp]

Maybe if you gave the film a chance. If you still think it's terrible after watching it then by all means feel free to think that. But it's not smart to judge a film due to its er... Origins. 

[Mania Pipe]

Maybe if you gave the film a chance. If you still think it's terrible after watching it then by all means feel free to think that. But it's not smart to judge a film due to its er... Origins. 

 

I know it wasn't smart to do that and I'm sorry. But after seeing the previous films and how the way they're so similar to each to point they might as well be the same movie; I don't think my opinion would change either way, because of how much Michael Bay has bastardized the Transformers franchise with how the way he does things in his own image. Yeah, the visual effects are fantastic, I won't ever knock it and I will give credit where credit is due. But with all of the annoying characters, subplots that go nowhere, unfunny dudebro humor, fights that last way longer than they need to be and indistinguishable robots crashing into each other in close ups just really turn me off and I just end up not enjoying it. I'm not exactly a huge fan of the Transformers franchise (however, I really did loved Transformers: Prime), but I still felt insulted by these films, not so much the first film but the second and third films definitely. I just felt really sorry for the Transformers fans having to see their iconic franchise get shat upon by Michael Bay and now he's doing it to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

 

Sorry about that rant there, I just... had to let that out. But, anyway; If in a blue moon that I'm forced to watch Transformers 4: Age of Extinction, then I will try my absolute best to watch it with a clear and opened mind. But, let me you tell that it will not be an easy task to do.

[Kuzu]

So I kind of stopped caring about the film series a long time ago, so I have to ask, is it more of the same?

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[Johnny Boy]

So I kind of stopped caring about the film series a long time ago, so I have to ask, is it more of the same?

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No. As I've said before the robots are the center of this story and not the people, the goofball humor is played down, and the story is much darker in tone.

[Milo]

Why do I have a funny feeling these negative reviews are the critics trying their damned hardest to try and steer audiences away from the film and prevent it from being yet another huge box office juggernaut?

 

Transformers AOE debuted as the No. 1 film at the box office both in the US and worldwide. Opened domestically with $100 million domestic (US) gross, and roughly $201 million elsewhere (with $90 million coming from China, where the film's last act takes place); bringing it a grand total of at least $300 million worldwide-surpassing X-Men: Days of Future Past as the year's largest international opening, the biggest debut ever for a foreign film for China, and the biggest opening yet of star Mark Wahlberg's career. It also has received a "A minus" ranking by audiences in CinemaScores.

 

 

"Bay has said that this film will kick off a second trilogy of Transformers movies - and I think he's serious. That means there will be (at least) two more of these things. God help us all."

 

~Chris Nashawaty in his review for the film for Entertainment Weekly

[Johnny Boy]

Mwhahahahaha! Yes, bring on the Bayhem!

[Casshern]

Well at least he's (finally) voiced by Frank Welker this time around.

Ole' Frank still has it, too

I can't wait to hear more of his glorious voice in the next movie.

[Killtank]

I've heard enough people defend these films with the idea that they're only mindless fun and should not be taken seriously. To be fair, I understand this viewpoint. We could always argue the merits of low art, but I think the high-octane escapism of Transformers is perfectly acceptable. Not every movie needs to be a three hour-long pretentious, art house spectacle. I think a movie can just be fun and nothing more. However, at what point does this become an issue? I mean, I like forms of media I consider to be low art. More than that, I will admit to liking a few things that I know aren't terribly good but give me some form pleasure for whatever reason. I know most people have a guilty pleasure or two for things that exist purely for the sake of mindless fun, and that's okay. But how many unnecessary explosions become one too many? At what point does mindless fun become a self-parody or just stupid? 

[Soniman]

This movie was very enjoyable. I dont care if it's shit.

 

The human characters (as pointless are they still are) are INFINITELY more likable then anything we got in previous films. Mark Whalberg is way more likable then Shia and

the only annoying character is killed off rather quickly

. The Autobots have FINALLY been given some time to shine and all of them get badass moments and are all really likable characters, yes they're actually CHARACTERS this time. Easily identifiable and decently characterized, my favorite was the Samurai autobot, im disappointed that he didnt get more screentime. The villain (Lockdown) was cool and threatening, the battles were fucking AWESOME and oh jeez the effects were amazing. I dunno you guys, this movie may or may not be shit in reality but when I was watching it that didnt seem to matter at all.

 

The Dinobots are fucking AWESOME, like god they're so fucking cool, and they kick so much ass and I was really rooting for them through the whole thing

I also really liked that none of them died as weird as that sounds, Micheal Bay love to kill off these characters so im glad he held back on that shit

.

[Klinsy]

So, I watched the first two episodes of Robots In Disguise 2015 and here are my impressions:

 

• The style for the show is great, it's like a combination of both 3D and 2D and it's hard to tell which is which at times.
• I like all of Team Bumblebee right now, Bumblebee got the whole legacy of Optimus on his back and tries to be a good leader and keep out of trouble unless necessarily, Strongarm's enthusiasm for certain things like visiting Earth is very endearing, Sideswipe is a bit of a jerk but he has his good sides plus his altmodes are sweet, Grimlock is cool as usual  and Fixit is adorable.
• Underbite was hilarious but dangerous enough to be a good starter villain, I mean after all, he did eat an entire city.
• Russell and Denny are okay, not as interesting as the humans from Animated and Prime right now but there's stuff that can be build upon and I found it cool that Denny helped the Autobots out with his truck.
• The intro was disappointing, considering it was just a brief appearance of the logo but I guess that allows more time for the episodes.

All in all, I give the show my recommendation, I look forward having something to go along with Boom on Saturday mornings.  

[Inkling Cooper]

There is actually an intro in the next episode for folks in the US because I've seen 9 of the first season in Australia.. It's not much of one but it's there I suppose.

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

So, I watched the first two episodes of Robots In Disguise 2015 and here are my impressions:

 

• The style for the show is great, it's like a combination of both 3D and 2D and it's hard to tell which is which at times.
• I like all of Team Bumblebee right now, Bumblebee got the whole legacy of Optimus on his back and tries to be a good leader and keep out of trouble unless necessarily, Strongarm's enthusiasm for certain things like visiting Earth is very endearing, Sideswipe is a bit of a jerk but he has his good sides plus his altmodes are sweet, Grimlock is cool as usual  and Fixit is adorable.
• Underbite was hilarious but dangerous enough to be a good starter villain, I mean after all, he did eat an entire city.
• Russell and Denny are okay, not as interesting as the humans from Animated and Prime right now but there's stuff that can be build upon and I found it cool that Denny helped the Autobots out with his truck.
• The intro was disappointing, considering it was just a brief appearance of the logo but I guess that allows more time for the episodes.

All in all, I give the show my recommendation, I look forward having something to go along with Boom on Saturday mornings.  

 

I enjoyed it, but its missing the codgety old wise teammember, the one that Rachet usually fills... Though Denny's Truck makes me think they might be hinting towards Kup(since human vehicles don't last long when they're on the frontlines, and its exactly the kinda vehicle Kup would use)

 

Edit: oh yah, and in regards to story and artstyle, feels like Prime and Animated had a lovechild

[Johnny Boy]

Eh, I think the new series is decent so far. I wish more characters from Prime like Arcee or Raf would show up though.

[Delta Starfire]

I don't know about the new cartoon yet. I loved Prime, but RiD feels like a major shift back towards the more light-hearted tone of Animated... which was fine in Animated, but this is a direct sequel to Prime, which was a lot darker and... well, more mature. I really don't care for Grimlock -- once again, he's portrayed as a dull-witted moron, so it seems the comics are still the only place you can go for a Grimlock with any semblance of intelligence -- and I'm not sure about Sideswipe. He feels like Smokescreen did when he first showed up in Prime, only more annoying. And, like Smokescreen, he feels like he's in a role that would be better filled by Hot Rod. I will say, however, that I like Strongarm. It's refreshing to see a female Transformer who doesn't look like a waif in robot mode and who transforms into a bulky SUV. That's incredibly rare. Plus, any new female Transformer is always a welcome addition for me. The series may pick up, so I'll keep watching, but so far, I'm just not sure about it.

 

In other news, have you guys seen this...?

 

 

 

I need this. This right here is a Megatron toy I've wanted to see for half a lifetime. 

[Spin Attaxx]

Been thinking about getting that for a while (because 1. Megatron hasn't gotten an updated Masterpiece figure yet and 2. even if he did, I dunno how I'd get him into the UK assuming he remains a gun), but the main things putting me off are his legs (they look so spindly!) and I don't know how he'd look scale-wise compared to my MP Soundwave and Thundercracker.

[Jack / Joker]

Been thinking about getting that for a while (because 1. Megatron hasn't gotten an updated Masterpiece figure yet and 2. even if he did, I dunno how I'd get him into the UK assuming he remains a gun), but the main things putting me off are his legs (they look so spindly!) and I don't know how he'd look scale-wise compared to my MP Soundwave and Thundercracker.

Generations Megatron is inbetween Masterpiece Convoy and Soundwave in height. So he's bigger than Soundwave, but still too small overall. That said, no matter what they tell you, this is not an MP stand-in. The styles clash way too much.

Leader Megatron is good as a Generations/IDW Megatron, and as a Megatron in general. Hell, I'm even considering it as an IDW Autobot Megatron for my collection, but it's not Masterpiece Megatron, not even close.

With Megs' status as main villain and main character, it's a far safer bet to wait for an update like Optimus Prime and Starscream got. He's even credibly rumored to be closer to development than we think.

I say don't get an unfitting Megatron you'll regret in a few years anyway, unless you want him for Classics, in which case go nuts!

[Delta Starfire]

Since I'm not remotely interested in the MP line, but I can't get enough of the Classics/Generations line, I need this. 

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

Since I'm not remotely interested in the MP line, but I can't get enough of the Classics/Generations line, I need this. 

 

Have you seen Leader Class Ultra Magnus yet? he's a must have for me, he looks awesoooommmmmeeeee... The Thundercracker retool of Jetfire isn't bad either

[Delta Starfire]

*cries* 

 

Why do all the best Transformers ever start coming out when I have no money? :/

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

Honestly, one of the things that puts Transformers RID over SB for me is that while it does have a greater comedy focus than its predecessor, it also has a modicum of balance, a continuing storyline, and the space for true character development, and the oppurtunity for things to get serious without being super dark(Animated did that latter part well as well), Also for the first time since the original show(far as I can remember) we actually have a human mechanic working on cybertronian tech and actually helping out

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

Still am hoping for Starscream to be the leader of the newer Decepticons for this series as a foil to Bumblebee of course.

[Johnny Boy]

Still am hoping for Starscream to be the leader of the newer Decepticons for this series as a foil to Bumblebee of course.

I thought he was killed by the Predacons at the end of Prime.